Four thousand British Airways workers are “being forced out of the jobs that they love today by naked, company greed”, trade union Unite has said.

Cabin crew, engineers and airport staff are among those receiving letters from the airline telling them whether or not they are being made redundant.

Many of those who keep their jobs face pay cuts.

Howard Beckett, Unite’s assistant general secretary, said: “This is a very bleak day for the incredible BA workforce and will go down in the history of the airline as the day that it put the interests of the boardroom ahead of its passengers and workforce.”